Three people, including the wife of slain Vishwa Hindu Mahasabha (VHM) leader Ranjeet Bachchan were arrested in the connection with his murder on Thursday, January 6, the police said.

Smriti Srivastava, described as Bachchan’s second wife, her friend Deependra Kumar and driver Sanjeet Gautam were arrested in the matter Lucknow Police Commissioner Sujeet Pandey said.

“Those involved in the murder are Smriti Srivastava, her friend Deependra, Sanjeet Gautam (driver) and Jeetendra (shooter). Deependra was the person who convinced everyone to commit the crime. Smriti was part of the whole conspiracy. We arrested Sanjeet Gautam from Lucknow, Deependra has been arrested from the UP-MP border and Smriti too has been arrested from Vikasnagar (in Lucknow,” he told reporters.

Hindustan Times reported that Smriti, who works as a clerk in the state treasury department, told the police that a divorce case was going on between her and Bachchan since 2016. However, he was delaying the process by not appearing for the proceedings and creating hurdles in her marriage with Deependra.

The police also alleged that Bachchan had relations with several women and had married Smriti in January 2015, had reportedly married her without telling her that he was already wed to someone else. Srivastava separated from Bachchan in 2016, after she came to know about his first marriage and his other relations.

He also said that on inquiry it was found that Bachchan was living with his first wife in Lucknow’s OCR complex and as many as four cases, including that of a rape, were registered against him.

Pandey said, “On January 17, Bachchan visited Srivastava and tried to force her to celebrate their marriage anniversary on January 18. When she refused, Bachchan assaulted her. After the assault, Srivastava and Kumar hatched a conspiracy to kill Bachchan and recruited Kumar’s driver Sanjit Gautam and cousin Jeetendra.”

He mentioned, “Three people (Deependra, Sanjeet and Jeetendra) moved from Rae Bareli at 2.30 am (on the intervening night of 1 and 2 February). On 2 February, Deependra was dropped at Hazratganj crossing, the shooter was dropped near Capitol cinema hall crossing. At 5.40 am, Ranjeet Bachchan, Kalindi and Aditya (cousin) moved out from their home for morning walk. The shooter followed them in Hazratganj, and attacked them outside Globe Park.”

Bachchan was shot dead a couple of kilometers away from the Uttar Pradesh legislature complex. His cousin was also injured in the attack.

Contradictory reports of the shooter being caught have emerged. While some reports say he hasn’t been nabbed, other reports mention that the Uttar Pradesh STF reached Mumbai and arrested Jeetendra there.

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